Support and guard for fencing



(No Model.)

T. H, DODGE.

SUPPORT AND GUARD FOR FENCING.

No, 285,979. Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

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THOMAS H. DODGE, OF \VORCESJER, 'MASSA ("HUSETTS.

SUPPORT AND GUARD FOR FENCING.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 285,979, dated October2,1888. Application [lied Apr-i121, 1883. (so model.)

,To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1', 'llrnnnas H. Donun, ofthe city and county of 'Worcester, and Com monwealth of llfassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l\i[etal Supportsand. Guards for ire and Metal- Strip Fencing; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs, forming a part ofthis specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of asection of a wire fence having my invention in combination therewith.The main supp orting-posts, being the same as in common use, are notshown, but simply the fence-wires between two posts. Fig. 2 represents avertical section of theparts shown in Fig. 1, the section. being takenbetween the stays or braces ofthe fence, as will be hereinafterdescribed. 7 Fig. 3 represents upon an enlarged scale a section orportion of the fence on line a I), Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofarrow 1, same figure. Fig. 4 represents upon an enlarged scale a secti011 of a portion of the fence, looking in the direction of arrow 2; andFi 5 represents up on an enlarged scale a section of a portion of thefence on line 0 (2, looking in the direction of arrow 3.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to makeand use the same, I will proceed to describe the device more in detaiThe invention consists in the combination, with the main wires and metalstay or brace wires, constructed as hereinafter described, of theholding-staples for securing the brace-wires to the main fence-wiresalso, in the same parts, in combination, when the holdingstaples havetheir ends pointed and projecting outward.

In the drawings, the parts marked A A A A are the main fence-wires,which may be barbed or otherwise, as preferred, and these wires are tobe supported in the usual way by posts set in the ground at suitabledistances apart. The vertical stay or brace wires B are provided with aseries of short curves or bends, e, and smooth or straight parts f, andby preference the upper end is made with a loop, 0, to clasp, whenclosed, the upper strand A of the fence. The bra ce;wi res are fastenedto the main wires by means of wire staples E, and the ends of thesestaples may be coiled about the main strands A, as fully shown at E E,in Figs. 4 and 5, or their ends twisted together, as shown at g in Fig.,3. In either case it will be seen that the main wires A are securelyclamped to the stay or brace wires 13, and that, too,

retained at the same distances apart, this re sult being accomplished bythe main wires fitting into the bends c, where they are held byclamping-wires, as fully indicated in the draw lugs.

By reference to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that the center/i of thestaple E is drawn close against the bracewire B, while the staple ends Eare coiled in opposite directions upon the main strand A, with theirpoints 71 I1 left pro jecting in opposite directions, the staple therebyperforming a double functionviz., that of holding the stay or brace wireto the main strand A, and of protection against the crowding of stockagainst the fence. This stay or brace possesses this advantage over theone for which I have heretofore received Letters latentvin, that it canbe readily adapted to fences in which the main wires are not arranged atuniform distances apart, as those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand, since the main wire can fit into and be held by the clamp orstaple wires in either of the bends c," and these are of such number ineach group as to answer for all ordinary variations in the distancesapart at which the main wires may have been strung or put up.

If preferred, barbs may be attached to the straight parts], and therebyafford still greater protection against the crowding of stock againstthe fence.

By making one loop (1 at the upper end of each stay or brace wire theycan be first arranged in position and these loops closed on. the topwire, which will be quite sufficient to retain the stay or brace wiresin the proper position, to be afterward strapped or clasped to all theother main wires.

The advantages of stay or brace wires have been set forth in my formerpatent, and therefore need not be repeated here.

It will be seen that these stay or brace wires can be manufactured andsold to the trade,

in such a manner that the main strands A are i and can be readilyapplied to or upon any of the wire'fences. barbed or unbarbed, in use.

In applying the stay or brace wires they may be passed on alternatesides of the main wires, if preferred. It will be seen. that the shortbends e are so short and abrupt that when the stay or brace wires andlongitudinal fence-wires are secured together by the clamping-wires, thewhole structure is quite stiff, and there is no play in the joints.

I have only shown the device as applied to plain wire fences; but it isequally applicable to cabled or twisted main strands, and also tometal-strip fencing. In the latter case the bends in the braces would ofcourse be made of such shape and size as to receive the strips of themain strands and hold them from slipping up or down after thestaple-wires had been applied; and the main fence-strands, whether flator round, or of other shape, may be barbed in the usual manner.

If preferred, the ends of the staple-wires may be twisted together tonearly their points, and both ends left projecting out straight in thesame direction.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new," and desire to'secureby'Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination of the brace-wire hav ing bends or curves, the mainwires resting each in one of said bends or curves, and theholding-staples wrapped or coiled about both THOS. H. DODGE.

\Vitnesses:

PRESTON H. GROVER, HENRY L. MILLER.

